Lifestyle Enrichment in Later Life and Its Association With Dementia Risk

John Galt

John Galt

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Dec 7, 2021
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From Journal of the American Medical Association, published July 14, 2023. The thread title comes from the title of the article.

Pop culture had me believing that having lots of friends and engaging with them socially was critical to hold off later life Dementia. (assuming you were genetically predisposed ) Apparently, it is what stimulating activities one engages in that is critical and not the number of people you do it with.

Findings In this cohort study of 10318 older individuals in Australia, more frequent participation in adult literacy activities (taking education classes, using a computer, and writing letters or journals) and in active mental activities (playing games, cards, or chess and doing crosswords or puzzles) was associated with reduced dementia risk over 10 years. However, social outings and interactions were not associated with dementia risk.

 
Interesting. Although one tends to think of social media causing dementia… and I’ve been in social settings that I thought were mind numbing.

Social outings are probably good for our emotional state, but probably don’t engage the brain into “exercise” and thus not an impact on preventing dementia.
 
John Galt said:
From Journal of the American Medical Association, published July 14, 2023. The thread title comes from the title of the article.

Pop culture had me believing that having lots of friends and engaging with them socially was critical to hold off later life Dementia. (assuming you were genetically predisposed ) Apparently, it is what stimulating activities one engages in that is critical and not the number of people you do it with.

Findings In this cohort study of 10318 older individuals in Australia, more frequent participation in adult literacy activities (taking education classes, using a computer, and writing letters or journals) and in active mental activities (playing games, cards, or chess and doing crosswords or puzzles) was associated with reduced dementia risk over 10 years. However, social outings and interactions were not associated with dementia risk.

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From a finding a few years back people who play musical instruments generally have later offset or far fewer cases of dementia. I played trumpet when in middle school been meaning to get back into it.
 
97prizm said:
From a finding a few years back people who play musical instruments generally have later offset or far fewer cases of dementia. I played trumpet when in middle school been meaning to get back into it.
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I took up playing the violin for the first time about 6 years ago when I retired. I still take violin lessons and have become adept at playing classical, Irish and old time music from musical notation. Reading music is like a new language especially if you play from sheet music. Violin playing has also introduced me to a set of new friends, some my age and others much younger. I was already an avid reader for decades now but in January 2023 I also took up playing chess. All by accident I seem to be doing the right moves.
 
BISCUT said:
Dive into cholesterol and links to dementia. View with a keen eye toward big pharma and their love affair with daily, lifelong meds.
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jamanetwork.com

Coronary Plaque, LDL-C Levels, and Rates of CVD Events Among Symptomatic Adults

This cohort study of symptomatic patients undergoing coronary computed tomographic angiography assesses the prevalence of calcified and noncalcified plaque and the association of these phenotypes with cardiovascular events across the spectra of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.
jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com

Extraordinarily interesting...everything we are told is probably wrong...
 
John Galt said:
I took up playing the violin for the first time about 6 years ago when I retired. I still take violin lessons and have become adept at playing classical, Irish and old time music from musical notation. Reading music is like a new language especially if you play from sheet music. Violin playing has also introduced me to a set of new friends, some my age and others much younger. I was already an avid reader for decades now but in January 2023 I also took up playing chess. All by accident I seem to be doing the right moves.
Click to expand...
+2

I re-started at the piano about five years ago after taking lessons for a few years when I was a kid. Interestingly, what got me interested in re-starting was when my mother was in one of those "memory care" places where all the residents have either dementia or Alzheimer's disease. They had a piano there in the living room and the residents were thrilled to have someone - anyone - play for them.

I have since re-started with a teacher and now play with a group of other adults. It's fun and if it helps keep my brain sharp, all the better.
 
What one needs to do is avoid Type 3 diabetes... Avoid processed junk (carbs and seed oils, for example), reduce carb intake, increase veggie intake and your chances of healthier brain will go up. Low carb, keto like diet is a big no-no for the modern medical philosophy but when you examine it, one starts to suspect that we are not being told good information.
 
Further thinking.
1..Exercise
2..Diet (low sugar).
3. Low Cholesterol (statin)
4..Heredity
5.. Brain exercise-Music-Math/Science
I am 77. I am in great shape, Weigh 140#, I have been taking a statin for 15 years, play a corned, love math. Wife is 77 probably 20# over weight (not that bad), does a lot of walking and reading. She eats little sugar.
 
I can tell you that exercising your brain and body are the two best ways to prevent dementia. Sit in a recliner and watch TV all day and all night long, you will succumb to mental issues and physical issues. Sounds elementary, but I see lots of older people doing this, all claim to be smart
 
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